Eduardo Rodriguez Likely To Open Year On DL

Though the Red Sox haven’t made any sort of formal announcement or roster move, left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez appears headed for the disabled list to begin the season as he recovers from a dislocated kneecap in his right knee. Manager John Farrell acknowledged to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe that Rodriguez won’t be ready for the opener, telling reporters that Rodriguez is slated to throw off a mound tomorrow. Rodriguez, though, will require three bullpen sessions before he’s even able to get into a spring game, Abraham notes.

Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal takes a stab at a projected return date, noting that if Rodriguez is to follow the same criteria as other Red Sox starters — making six multi-inning appearances in a game setting before his regular season debut — he’d be unlikely to be available before April 26. The Sox, then, could be without their promising young lefty for the majority of the season’s first month. Fill-in candidates for Rodriguez’s rotation spot would include fellow left-handers Henry Owens and Roenis Elias as well as right-hander Steven Wright. (Left-hander Brian Johnson has been slowed as of late by a sprained toe.) The 31-year-old Wright had an inside track on making the Opening Day roster anyway, due to the fact that he is out of minor league options, but the an injury to Rodriguez could further open the door for him, at least for the season’s first month.

When he returns, Rodriguez will join David Price, Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello and Joe Kelly in Boston’s starting five, barring any injuries. The 22-year-old Rodriguez recorded 121 2/3 innings if 3.85 ERA ball out of the Sox’ rotation in his rookie season last year, averaging 7.2 strikeouts and 2.7 walks per nine innings to go along with a 43 percent ground-ball rate.

Comments

Tough break for my Sox but we have the pitching depth to overcome losing E-Rod for a couple weeks. Sox will just be that much stronger when they add E-Rod and his frontline potential back to rotation when he’s ready to rock and roll.

I wouldn’t say they aren’t ready for the big leagues, I’d just say they have been far too inconsistent throughout their careers to rely on. Buchholz has shown ace potential and Kelly has had success before, but I wouldn’t go as far as saying they have great pitching depth…

I wouldn’t say they aren’t ready for the big leagues, it’s more so that they have been too inconsistent in their careers. Buchholz has put up ace level numbers as well as had seasons in which he looks like he should be in AA, while Kelly has thrown some solid innings, mostly in St. Louis. But I would never go as far as saying they have great pitching depth….

Sure sounds like you really hope what youre saying is true. ERod Owens and Johnson have tremendous upside, Porcello will regress to his career’s mean and Kelly has looked stellar since late last season. Finally, I fully expect the Sox to trade some of their depth for a bonafide #2 when the right opportunity presents itself. In the meantime, their top 5 offense will steamroll the competition.

I don’t think you can count them out before the season even starts. There is a lot of talent on that roster, it just has underperformed as unit the past few years. If everyone produces like they should, they could win what in my opinion is a division up for grabs. The team best put together is Toronto, and even they have a few big question marks.. Like how is that rotation going to shape up and will tulo be able to hit outside of Coors? Yes their line up can be scary but there still is some question marks…. Division is wide open for whatever team puts it all together.

Sox pitching is not good enough to win the World Series, not even close. The AL East is so uninspiring, however, the Sox remain in range of winning same. The Sox, like the other four teams in their division, are an incomplete team. Adding Price is great, but otherwise the Sox are returning with the same pitching mess they had last year. Buchholz cannot be relied upon, Porcello is a #4, Kelly should be a reliever, and now Rodriguez is hurt – not good. Beyond the starters, 2/3 of the Sox outfield can’t hit, their corner infielders are less than guarantees, and Farrell needs to go. The team that makes the best in-season trade wins the AL East.

Without Price, Kimbrel, Uehara, Tazawa, Carson Smith or Hanley’s bat the Sox finished the season 26-20. Now, 4-6 of those losses happened because their bullpen was horrible at the end of the year. Sox will be fine. They will be fighting Toronto for the division all year. Their depth should help them win it. I do agree that another front line starter is necessary to keep winning in October. They have the resources to find it via trade if None of their current SP’a step up behind Price.